The Enchantment of the Fireflies
by Wtiger5
Summary: On a journey for summer holidays, Faramir, Eowyn and their children learn about the magic of fireflies and find healing of wounds long carried. Written for the Teitho contest: Journeys. Oneshot.


The Enchantment of the Fireflies

Eowyn smiled as the horses crested the hill. She took a deep breath as the Golden Hall of Edoras came into view. No matter how many years she had spent dwelling in Ithilien, she would always think of Rohan as home. Her husband, guessing the direction of her thoughts, gave her a gentle smile.

"Happy to be back?" Faramir asked with a knowing glint in his grey eyes.

"I am." Eowyn smiled back. "I miss the land of my birth." Her gaze returned to the city before them. "It will be good to see Eomer and Lothiriel as well. I know they are both anxious to see the girls." They were interrupted by their oldest son's voice.

"Father? May Bori, Estel and I race on ahead?" Elboron was fairly dancing in his saddle with excitement. His younger brothers were just as giddy. Faramir narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Please Father? The city is just there. We'll be in your sight the whole time." The boy pleaded. At nearly twelve years of age, he was eager to prove his independence.

"Please, Papa." Nine year old Boromir begged. Eight year old Estel was silent, but his dark eyes spoke volumes.

"Very well." Faramir relented. "But go no further then that grove there."

"Yes sir!" The three boys paused a moment before kicking their horses into a full gallop.

"I should think that you would race with them." remarked Legolas from the prince's other side.

A wistful smile touched Faramir's mouth. "I haven't raced like that since before my brother died."

"Not even with your sons?" The Elven prince sketched an eyebrow.

"Not in a full out gallop, no. Eomer challenged me once just after Eowyn and I were betrothed but the memories were too painful." Ithilien's prince closed his eyes briefly, a sad look in his grey eyes.

"Forgive me _mellon_. I did not mean to cause you distress." Legolas placed a gentle hand on his arm.

Faramir gathered himself with an effort. "There is nothing to forgive. One cannot dwell on the past or else he will miss the present." He urged his horse forward slightly. Legolas made to follow him, but stopped as Eowyn shook her head.

"It's best to leave him alone. He'll be alright in a few minutes." She murmured softly, pitching her voice for his hearing alone.

"He still grieves his brother's loss." It was a statement not a question.

The lady of Ithilien nodded. "Very much so. I wonder if it is because they were so very close as children but he was never able to say goodbye." She paused wondering how much she should divulge. "He also has difficulty showing his emotions. He hides them and buries them deep within himself."

The elf glanced at her husband's back with a thoughtful gaze. "I did not realize he carries such a burden. Even Aragorn cannot help him?"

"He won't let him try. I was hoping that perhaps he would agree to visit Theodred's grave with Eomer and me. That way he could see he is not alone in his grief." Eowyn was about to say more but was interrupted by a shout from the road ahead. She laughed out loud as she recognized her brother riding towards them, his blonde hair streaming out behind him. "Aren't you at least supposed to try and act like a king?" she said teasingly as he reached over from his saddle to give her a one-armed hug.

"Sometimes I actually succeed." Eomer answered cheekily. "Besides a king is supposed to meet his royal guests and I believe that two princes certainly meet that qualification." He laughed and easily dodged the swat his sister aimed in his direction. "Wouldn't you agree, Lord Steward?"

A smile spread across Faramir's face dispelling his sadness. "Far be it for me to argue with the king of Rohan."

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Later that evening, Faramir sat on a stone bench as his children played in the garden. He looked up as the smell of mint wafted through the evening air. Eowyn appeared beside him holding out a mug of tea. She sat down next to him as he put his arm around her shoulders.

"What are you thinking about?" she asked after a few minutes.

"How blessed we are." He answered softly, pressing his lips against the side of her head. "We have five beautiful children and I have the most beautiful wife in Arda."

"Perchance your judgment is clouded, my lord." Eowyn replied with a teasing twinkle in her grey eyes.

Faramir's answer was to kiss her soundly on the mouth. Suddenly they were interrupted by a tug on his sleeve. He looked down to see one of their three year old twin girls standing in front of him.

"Look Papa. Lights in the air." Farawyn pointed to the rose bushes along the edge of the garden. "What makes the lights?" She tugged again on his hand, clearly trying to pull him in the direction of the mysterious flashes. The little girl smiled brilliantly as her father surrendered to her begging and swept her into his arms as he stood. He carried the child over to the flowers as he watched the lights flicker.  
"They're fireflies, Farawyn." He made a quick grab, capturing one of the tiny insects in his palm. "See? They flash so they can talk to each other." He watched as his daughter bent over to get a closer look.

"It's not flashin' now." Farawyn said with a pout as the firefly crawled around his hand. "Why not?"

"They only flash when they fly." Her father answered as the insect once again took flight. Suddenly he grunted as the little girl abruptly twisted in his arms, causing him to all but drop her. "Careful, little one." He admonished her.

"I want sister to see." She answered looking around for her twin. "Finny! Come lookie." she called as she spotted her.

Finduilas came running at her sister's call. "I wanna thee." She demanded reaching her arms up to Faramir. He shifted his grip on Farawyn as he knelt to lift his other daughter.

"Why them wight up, Papa?" Finduilas asked as he stood to his full height with the girls balanced on his hips.

"It's magic." Legolas' musical voice came from behind them as he joined the family in the garden.

The twins' eyes grew wide. "Mazic?" Finduilas repeated. "What mazic, Wegoweth?"

"The magic of the Valar and of the elves." Legolas answered with a mystical smile. His eyes sparkled in the evening's fading light. Estel drew closer to them.  
"Will you tell us the story?" the little boy asked shyly.

Legolas settled himself onto the soft grasses as Farawyn scrambled down out of her father's arms and plopped into his lap. The elf gathered the little girl against him as Faramir sat down with Finduilas. Eowyn and the boys joined the others as the elven prince began the tale.

"Many years ago, long before the fall of Numenor, Varda, Queen of the stars, placed the most beautiful jewels in the sky. She brightened them with gold and silver from the most sacred trees in the realm. As she watched over her handiwork, Vana asked if she could bring some of their beauty into her gardens to light her flowers. Varda agreed and so she took a simple fly and placed within its body, the lights of the heavens. But the two queens didn't want the lights to overwhelm the gardens and the lights of Arnor and Ithil, so they set limits on when the flies could show their lights. They may only shine at night during the summer months. When the elves beheld the fireflies they called them the _anduial nar _or evening fire. They saw the fireflies as little jewels sent to Arda from Varda herself and so they began to teach the flies to use their lights to speak to each other and light up the gardens of the children of men." He paused and murmured something in his own language that even Faramir didn't understand. "Watch." His voice was soft and alluring. Suddenly it seemed as though every firefly in the garden was floating around them as if they were determined to illuminate the children's face. Eowyn gasped softly at the glow.

"It's beautiful." She whispered.

"It really is magic." Estel's eyes were shining as bright as the insects around him. Legolas's musical laugh seemed to only add to the spell over the garden.

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_Shouting and yells. The sounds of battle were all around. Just in front of him, his brother fought with all his strength. He watched horrified as an arrow sped through the air to embed itself in Boromir's body. "Boromir!" He shouted as he watched him collapse to the ground. _

_"Goodbye, little brother." Boromir's voice was weak and rasping._

_Faramir rushed to his brother's side and dropped to his knees beside him, but it was too late. His beloved brother was gone. _

_"NO!"_

"No!" Faramir realized he had spoken the word aloud. He was sitting straight up in bed, the room dark around him. He closed his eyes trying to calm the racing of his heart and heaving of his chest. As his breathing slowed he glanced over at Eowyn curled by his side. She still slept her face peaceful and serene. He gently kissed her forehead then smiled as his wife mumbled something in her slumber. Sleep would no longer come for him this night. He threw back the covers before pulling on a simple sleeveless linen shirt and breeches and wandering out into the gardens outside the golden hall. The night was warm and comforting, drying the sweat that still dampened his brow. He breathed in the gentle scent of the flowers around him as he sank down on the grass, his back against a tree. Over the plains, Ithil's light illuminated the ground as it sank into the western sky. Faramir closed his eyes reminded for a moment of his ranger days. He had spent many a night such as this, looking out over the forest. Tonight, though he found no peace. Conflicting emotions warred within his breast. He leaned forward, placing his forehead against his crossed arms and resting them over his knees.

"Are you alright?"

Faramir jumped slightly as his brother-in-law's soft tenor invaded the stillness. He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that he hadn't even heard Eomer approach. He sighed softly. "I don't know. It's been twelve years and I still miss my brother as if it were yesterday."

Eomer knelt beside him and gripped his shoulder. "Talk to me my friend. Let me help you carry this burden."  
Faramir closed his eyes, letting his head fall back against the tree. "Next week would have been Boromir's birthday. I think it is this time of year that I miss him the most. He was always there for me, especially when my father was not. Even when we were separated by our commands and duties, he would always make sure to send me a letter or at least a note, enquiring about me. Not the men, not the battles, but how I was feeling." He paused for a moment, trying to force back the lump that suddenly rose in his throat. "I never got to say goodbye. Now, I keep dreaming of the day he died. The images haunt my sleep."

Eomer frowned. "Surely you are not blaming yourself."

"If I had stood up to my father instead of returning to Ithilien then perhaps Boromir would not have been killed. He was there for me when I needed him the most and yet I failed him in his last moments on Arda." The prince's voice was trembling almost beyond his control.

"Faramir, your brother's death was not your fault. No one could have known what would happen to him." Eomer protested.

"Knowing such things does not ease the pain." The words were barely whispered.

The king shifted his position so that he was sitting next to his friend. "Has Eowyn ever told you of our cousin's death?"

Faramir raised his head to look over at his companion. "No. Only that he died in an ambush."

"He was ambushed by Orcs, yes but it was a mission that I was to have led. When word of the attack reached us, I blamed myself. I lead the search for him and I carried him back to Edoras on my horse." Eomer spoke softly. His gaze was focused across the plains and his shoulders were rigid. "I felt responsible but what I realized was that Theodred had died protecting our country and although I missed him dearly, he would not have wanted me to wallow in my grief. He died with honor and he would have been the first to tell me to continue on with my life." A small, wistful smile came to his face. "I can see him laughing at me over a tankard of ale. 'Eomer, what are you doing? This is the death I always wanted so stop being such a ninny.'" He turned to meet Faramir's gaze. "I believe your brother would feel the same."

Faramir wasn't convinced and his face showed it. "It was my dream that led him to Imladris."

"Didn't you say he volunteered to go? That he wanted the journey for himself?"

"Boromir was older and stronger than me. Besides, Father wanted him to go as well." Faramir acquiesced.

"Faramir, let your grief and your guilt go. You cannot change what happened to Boromir. Be comforted that he died well defending those who could not defend themselves. You honor him both with your life and with the life of your son who bears his name. He would not blame you. You cannot blame yourself."

Faramir closed his eyes as he felt Eomer's simple words pierce his heart. The barriers that had encompassed his heart for so long broke as a dam shatters under a flood's pressure. Grief washed over him in great waves and he wept deeply, releasing the pain he had carried for so many years. Tears streamed down his face, soaking his shirt. Eomer put his arm around him, sharing in his pain. Finally his sobs slowed and he felt as though a burden had been lifted. He was exhausted but finally at peace with both himself and his brother's passing. "Thank you, my brother."

"You're welcome." Eomer rose before extending his hand to help the other to his feet. "I shall see you in the morning." He exited the garden as Faramir returned to the quarters he shared with Eowyn. The prince slipped beneath the covers as his wife snuggled close to his side in her sleep. He wrapped his arms around her as he fell into a peaceful slumber for the first time in many months.

The next morning, Eomer glanced up as a voice called his name. He looked up with some surprise as Faramir appeared in front of him astride his horse. "Do you recall the race you challenged me to?"

"You mean just after you and Eowyn were betrothed?"

"Indeed. Would you care for a rematch?" The prince asked with a twinkle in his grey eyes.

The king laughed in return. "Are you prepared to lose, Prince of Ithilien?"

"Are you, Rohan King?"

Eowyn and Legolas watched from the balcony above as the two men took off. They shared smiles knowing that Faramir's journey of healing was complete.


End file.
